showers-of-joy:
Il Colosseo || Rome, Italy
When it was built…

When it was built it was commonly referred to as the Flavian Amphitheatre, in honour of the dynasty of the emperors, under whose reign it was built – Vespasian and Titus. The Colosseum first opened doors in 80 AD, and is the largest amphitheatre ever built. Its modern day name is derived from the 35-meter bronze statue of Nero that once stood in its vicinity and was known as the Colossus. The statue eventually fell, the bronze it was made of was reused, but the Colosseum has stood the test of time, although not quite in the form the ancient Romans were used to seeing it – the statues that once decorated its facade are long lost, its retractable roof is gone, yet it has not lost that awe-inspiring aura that mesmerizes people from all around the globe.